Page 85 of Keeping Skylar
He lifts my hand to his lips and places a soft kiss. “It wasn’t just me,” he says with a grin. “I can’t take all the credit. Everyone here played a part in making this night happen. We just want you to have the most unforgettable evening.”
After exchanging warm hugs and heartfelt birthday wishes with everyone, Heath leads us to our seats across from Hannah and Nate, pulling my chair out with a quiet smile. As the rest of the group settles in, we chat and catch up on life, sharing stories and letting our families get acquainted with one another. Then, we dive right into our delicious three-course meal, savouring every mouth-watering bite.
I look around the room, unable to suppress a big smile. All the people who mean the world to me are gathered here, in this cosy little place, to celebrate my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday. And once again, it’s all thanks to my incredible man.
Mila’s infectious laugh draws my attention to her as she casually chats with Hannah and Kirstin, while simultaneously pulling faces at Luca, making him squeal and giggle in response. Seeing our families getting along so effortlessly brings a warm smile to my face.
“How’s everything going?” I ask Mila.
“I can’t complain. I started my new job as a speech pathologist at a clinic in the city last week, and I’m really enjoying it so far. It keeps me on my toes.”
She and her boyfriend, Dean, have been broken up for almost a year now. She never explained why it ended or why she never speaks about him, but I have a gut feeling it’s more serious than she lets on, especially since she moved on as if he never existed. In the end, I decided not to pry, figuring she’d share the details with me when she was good and ready.
“Congratulations, sis! It’s well deserved. And good on Jase for being so understanding, and letting you focus more on your studies than babysitting in your last year. The extra time and hard work really paid off.” I give her a proud smile.
There’s a sad, distant look in her eyes when Jason’s name comes up. From what little I know about their relationship, they’ve stayed in occasional contact ever since she stopped working for him. But every now and then, I get the feeling she misses him more than she’s willing to admit.
Before I can steer the conversation elsewhere, she beats me to it.
“Anyway, I know this is probably not the best time to bring this up, but I figured it’s worth mentioning considering its quite big news. It’s about Kaden and Lucia, and before you tell me to shut it, I think you should hear me out first.”
I catch Heath tense at the mention of my ex-husband’s name. So, I give Mila a subtle shake of my head, signalling that the topic is off limits. “I’d rather not talk about him,” I say firmly. “I’ve already wished him and Lucia the best with their new baby and their life together. There’s really nothing more to say.”
“You see, that’s the thing,” Mila says with a smirk. “Turns out our dear old friend Lucia was hiding a pretty big secret from Kaden, one that’s just blown their whole relationship to smithereens.”
I let out a sharp exhale, clearly not wanting to be dragged into this conversation. As I glance around the table, I notice everyone has fallen silent, their eyes flickering between me and my sister. I offer a dismissive shrug, making it clear I have no interest in revisiting one of the worst times of my life. “Mila, I honestly couldn’t care less about what happens in their relationship. He’s no longer—”
“The baby isn’t Kaden’s!” my sister blurts out loud, cutting me off mid-sentence.
My jaw drops, eyes widening in complete shock. Around the table, I hear a chorus of sharp intakes of breath, hushed whispers, and a few stifled gasps as the news sinks in. Even Heath turns to Mila, his expression mirroring the same disbelief etched across everyone else’s face.
After a long pause, Mila continues. “Jason told me that not long after Kaden moved in with Lucia, she began another illicit affair with a new male teacher at the school. And get this—the guy was married...with a kid. I swear, that woman destroys more relationships than a Category 4 cyclone wrecks buildings.” She shakes her head in disgust.
“How did Kaden find out?” The question comes unexpectedly from Heath, making everyone turn in his direction.
“He discovered the text messages on her phone while she was in the shower one night. It turned out that Lucia’s ‘lover boy’ was listed under a pseudonym in her contacts.Addiewas actually some guy namedAdrian.”
Oh, the irony. Who would have thought that Kaden would one day end up in the same position I found myself in a year and a half ago? I guess karma finally delivered. Not that I’m taking any joy in his pain or grief, I wouldn’t wish something like that on my worst enemy, but he has to know, he had it coming.
Mila goes on, “Kaden hired Jason’s private investigator friend to follow Lucia, and when it was later confirmed that she was, in fact, having an affair, Kaden confronted her and demanded a paternity test right away. Unfortunately for him, the results showed that he wasn’t the father of Lucia’s baby girl.”
“Fuck, that’s brutal,” Nate mutters quietly.
“To cut a long story short, Kaden ended things with Lucia immediately, moved out, and is currently staying with Jason and Jake while he looks for a place of his own. He apparently hasn’t been doing very well. Jason actually feels sorry for theguy, especially because he had formed such a close bond with the baby, and now, he’s lost her too.
“As for Lucia, she had no choice but to come clean to the biological father. He totally freaked out, though, cut all contact with her, quit his job, and moved his family out of the area. She’s now left to raise the baby on her own, without any support. Her own parents won’t even help after they discovered she had a baby with a married man. The last I heard, she had moved to a small country town in the central west to start over, as she could no longer afford to live in the city.”
“Well, let’s hope she doesn’t end up ruining that child’s life too,” Kirstin chimes in.
I clear my throat, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. “Look, no matter what happens with Kaden or Lucia, I just hope they emerge from this as better people. They’ll both carry regrets with them for the rest of their lives, and that’s punishment enough. If they refuse to learn from their mistakes, that’s on them. They deserve whatever karma they’ve earned.
“I decided a long time ago to let go of all the anger and resentment I once held for them. In fact, they no longer take up space in my head anymore. They’re part of the past now, buried in memories I have no intention of revisiting. From here on out, the only people who truly matter are the ones right here at this table, in this room.” I glance around, meeting each person’s eyes, and offer a quiet, grateful smile.
Heath reaches for my hand resting in my lap and gives it a gentle squeeze. I turn to him, and he leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. As we pull apart, the waitstaff enters the room and starts clearing out our plates, marking the end ofthatconversation.
Once the table is cleared, leaving only our drinks, Heath taps the side of his champagne glass a few times, instantly pulling everyone’s focus towards him. Conversations come to an abruptstop, and all eyes turn towards us. Heath rises to his feet, casting a quick, nervous glance around the room.
“I just want to thank you all for travelling so far to help celebrate Skylar’s birthday with us tonight, and for joining us tomorrow as we spend our last day here at the resort. We’re both excited for the chance to spend some more quality time with everyone in this beautiful place.
